On some of the pics I've seen, the bikes are loaded to the teeth. What on earth can one possible pack to use up that much space for touring?

Granted, some people overpack. Others are going places or doing things that require a lot of gear. If someone is willing and able to push a loaded bicycle over a pass, then I say they get to take whatever they want. I may not agree with their choices, but then they wouldn't agree with mine. To each his/her own.

Are you looking for ideas? Or, are you trying to suggest something about people who tour with heavy loads?

I pack

3 pairs of bike shorts
2 biking shirts
a fair number of tools and spare parts
Cooking equipment
camping equipment (includes a camp chair)
Off-bike clothes (pair of pants, socks, lightweight shoes good enough for hiking, cap, fleece if going to colder weather)
rain gear
entertainment (iPad or books)
camera and iPhone
Toiletries
Food (fresh vegetables, snacks, spices)
Water (I wear a camelback)

This requires 4 panniers with sleeping bag and tent on rear rack.

On tours where I won't camp, I don't bring camping equipment. On a rare, short tour, I might leave cooking equipment at home.

What do you take that is different?

A guy recently came through Missoula, MT. First visitor of the year to ACA's headquarters. His bike and gear, including a trailer and panneirs, tipped the scale at 181 lbs.

As Raybo notes, some people overpack in the sense they bring stuff they don't really need/never end up using. Others take what they want. And there are others who carry needless weight because they don't know better. For example, several years ago I helped a local couple get ready for a tour across the country. I followed their CGOB journal once they got underway. In a photo I saw they were carrying a full-size floor pump. They were not string cyclists by any stretch of the immagination and complained about even gentle hills. I sent them a message saying they should ditch the pump for something like a Road Morph G. They would because they were afraid it would break. I tried to assure them it's a tested product favored by many cyclists. They wouldn't listen. They were also carrying a large, cast-iron pot and numerous books. I got the sense they were trying to replicate life at home as much as possible. Not surprisingly, they abandoned their trip. Think it was in Texas. Surprised that they made it that far.

When I crossed the country in '99 I carried a lot of film camera equioment because I wanted to. Today, I carry a 5" Santoku knife because I cook elaborately and like the convenience of a good knfe. In the end, if someone is o.k. with their load, who are we to judge?

1. Touring isn't racing.

2. Have you ever toured? If you have, then you know that things like sleeping bags can be bulky.

3. And I don't know what people pack in a second set of panniers. I've only ever used one set of panniers, one Carradice, and one handlebar bag.

My Gear list postings abound, CGOAB has a bunch, depends on what you plan.
there was that one Swedish adventure guy*, rode to Everest base in Nepal
Summited w/o Oxygen , then rode home..had all his gear aboard.

Lots of people seem to have to Blog about their trips , so they haul a lot of electronics.

to each their own ..

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6ran_Kropp

book, with co writer (revue) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1....Ultimate_High


And I note, lots bring a lot of Electronics widgets along , rather than take a holiday from them.

A touring bike is like a station wagon. It's meant to be loaded up.

Imo many people, especially those new to touring, have a tendancy to over pack. But as posted, if you can carry that load, it's nobody's business but your own.

Talk about over packing! One of the rides I do on a regular basis in the summer is the lakes ride. It's not even a tour, just a day ride out to one or more lakes to swim and then complete the route. Rides range from 30 to 60 miles depending on which lakes and which meandering route I want to ride.

The first time I did this I had so much stuff packed it over filled the rear trunk bag I had tapped for the ride. I clamped on the rear panniers. I had water shoes, sandals, a small cooler, towels, extra clothes, bug repellant, extra long cable lock, sun screen the kitchen sink. Now the ride goes with sun screen, and a small hand towel. Which is used to wipe sand off my feet before putting my shoes back on. Experience is the great teacher!

Sometimes maps and guidebooks can take up a lot of space.
Cold/wet weather gear. Spare footwear.
Cooking gear for using normal local ingredients rather than Just Add Water packets, esp for ling duration tours.

I have seen riders carrying excess weight, eg caravaning stoves, track pumps,
I can cut down to 2 panniers and no racktop luggage if I avoid cooking.

Presumably, most cycle tourists with large loads are carrying camping gear, and size/weight can depend upon how old their gear is. Older camping gear tends to be heavier and bulkier, and people may want to wear out the old stuff before investing in new, lightweight gear, which can be very expensive. Others maintain websites or travel blogs as they go, and may be carrying heavy computer/camera gear, especially more serious photogs. Then there are the globetrotters who cycle through remote locations in far-flung corners of the world, and need to be self-sufficient in many ways since they may venture many miles away from any services. That said, I do prefer smaller lighter loads, and not just because it's easier to haul. I find tons of stuff to be an organizational nightmare, and it makes daily packing/unpacking very tedious.

When I tour, I like to eat and live like a king. Its my reward for hauling all this stuff over 40-50miles in a day. Half the bulk on my rig is probably from food and other "creature comforts".

I met a couple on the Galaena Trail in New Denver, BC. They were on a round the world tour. They where carrying the most gear I have ever seen anyone carry. There front panniers looked bigger than my my rear bags. I have no idea where they got their rear panniers, they were huge!. Then a ton of gear / food piled up on the rear racks and giant bags hanging from the saddle.

The bikes themselves were built like tanks.

If you don't like heavily loaded tourers, check out the ultralight and super ultralight threads, where 5 pounds of gear is considered normal.

people carry what they need. if'n they don't need it, they'll prolly mail it home.
what are they left with? depends what they do off the bike.

i like photography. maybe i'll carry some bigger 200-300 mm lenses, or a heavy medium-format.
riding in the desert? 5 gallons of water.
i'm so lonely....satellite phone and laptop and solar charger and short-wave radio.
no stores where i'm going.......a week's worth of food.
when i'm not cycling, i like to hike.....backpack, hiking boots, climbing gear.

Why not buy the food along the way rather than carrying it?

........

Camping equipment and bicycle touring equipment also tends to be a lot like bicycles - you know the expression: Strong, light, inexpensive - pick any two.

Quality equipment that packs small tends to be a lot more expensive and more fragile than heavier bulkier gear and not everyone has the budget or tours often enough to shell out for top quality equipment on a regular basis. And there's trade-offs anyway. Some stuff - like SS plates and bowls I prefer over plastic myself - regardless of if its heavier or not. Some of the stuff I tend to prefer is less minimalist and offers more comfort, and is probably related to my tendency to treat camping and eating as being as much part of the trip as the bicycling part.

So although I personally don't carry a GPS, or Kindle, or laptop, or hunting knife, or hachet, or U-lock, or spare tires, or complete tool selection, or extensive DSLR equipment ; there are people that might find those indespensable. Its their trip and they're the ones pedaling!

On different trips I HAVE been known to carry a small cast iron paella pan, or a hand woven double hammock, or an expresso coffee maker, or a small grill, or a 3 person 4 season tent and ALWAYS carry table setting from home and a 1litre Thermos, plastic placemats that double as cutting boards - and a bulky alpaca-wool poncho that I bought in Peru years ago.

1. I never said anthing about racing.

2. Yes I have tour. Sleeping bag doesn't have to be too bulky.

3. I don't know what people pack in the second set of painers either. That's why I asked.

How do people climb big hills with all of that weight?

Touring is nice because it's pretty easy to do it most any way one would please. I'm lazy so I try to travel light and keep it simple. If I were ever to tour with more people I might carry more gear so we could enjoy the time off-bicycle more too without having to dine out every night or eat just cold foods. Different people are going different places and they are gonna want different things. As mentioned before lightweight, compact gear is more expensive and not every sees the marginal benefits that come from shaving a few pounds off their load by spending 500$ on stuff. I'd just as soon pack up an old wool sweater than go shell out a 100$ for a fancy new micro-weave wicking warmth enhancement layer. Same thing with food, I don't mind carrying a few extra kilos of oats if it means I can wake up have my coffee and porridge every morning. I hope this helps you in your quest to find out what on earth people pack on tour

Can you put this in perspective? What do you carry on tour?

What amazes me is that some people claim to only carry half as much weight as I do.

Photo where I was loaded up at the start of two weeks, about three days of food packed, for clothing and gear I expected weather to range from sub-freezing to 90s and I was glad that I packed for that range of weather.

I think touring and what you bring on tour is up to you. A lot of it depends on where you are touring. If your touring out in the western part of the U.S. you might find yourself on a road that only sees a few cars per day. Sure this is great for cycling but if you have a major drive train malfunction you might need a new chain and rear derailleur . And yes I have read packing lists that include derailleurs. A lot depends on what you find make you comfortable if you can't live without your electric shave and electric toothbrush, then pack them. Maybe you plan to work online while you tour, then maybe you need a full function ultrabook with 17 inch screen. Personally I like to take pictures of the places I see so that I can re-live the trip in my mind. So I also bring at least on camera when ever I ride my bicycle anywhere outside of my hometown. It's all up to the person riding the tour. If you think you might need or want it bring it along.

I think the amount of stuff on your loaded rig in the picture is about the norm I have seen people riding with. A couple of weeks ago I saw two riders riding through town here with about the same amount of stuff.

There is a huge range in what people carry. I am pretty sure that some of the folks that I have met had twice as much as you have in that picture. On the other hand it surprises me that it amazes you that folks tour with half that. I am pretty sure I have toured with everything from what I would estimate to be maybe 3/4 of what you have there to less than 1/4 of what you have there. In all cases I had cooking and camping gear and was always ready for overnight lows well below freezing.

Note that my numbers are based on my guess that your bags and their contents are about 60-65 pounds plus food and water. It can be hard to guess based on appearance though. Am I close?

My camping and cooking bike trips have ranged from a high of 45-50 pounds base weight to about 11 pounds base weight. On my heaviest trip I didn't have a lot of crazy excessive stuff and at the low end, even at 11 pounds, I still had quite a few luxury items (pillow, nice camera, etc.).

I really enjoyed all my trips regardless of the weight carried, but going lighter and lighter has made the riding more and more pleasant. Not only is the lighter bike more fun to ride, but the simpler lifestyle imposed by the minimal packing is pleasant as well. That isn't to say that my current way should or even could be employed by everyone.

Bottom line pack in a style that makes you happy, but don't assume that more stuff necessarily equals more comfort.

My bicycle touring base-weight (26lbs) is twice my backpacking base-weight (13lbs). The extra weight is mostly for comfort. The "extras" include:

- Large Tent
- Fleece Pillowcase
- Foam Sit pad
- Water Filter
- Fork, Spoon & Knife
- French Press Mug
- Large 1.5L cook pot
- Canister stove
- Comfy Fleece Layer
- Extra pairs of socks, underwear, and padded shorts
- Stuff Sacks for organization
- Hyper-juice Lithium Battery

My most recent tour was 100% camping for two months. I don't mind dropping down a gear or two, on the drivetrain. The extra time is worth the added comfort. No bicycle-gears when backpacking so I'll keep it more minimal.

My old sleeping bag was ultralight with a sewn-in stuff sack so I never used a compression bag, so it was kinda bulky for its weight. My old tent was sort-of ultralight then. The same model now is even lighter yet only "light" among other models. Not everyone has the latest and lightest. Could be lack of knowledge of what's available, inexperience to know one's needs, budget, using older equipment that still works, or just not caring about weight. Then If you're into hobbies while touring, like photography, (DSLR + lens) wildlife photography (+ long lens), dayhiking (+daypack and shoes), backpacking (+big pack)... it can get heavy fast.

When I pack for flying, everything on this bike fits in the rear panniers and the bag on top of the front rack. That includes the tripod, front panniers, a full size backpack, even 2 stoves. I use two panniers on short trips but prefer 4 on longer tours. Things are better organized and not so crammed. The bike handles better and there's more room for food. Not just more food but bulky, crushable food. I was going on a 5-day hike on my last trip so 2 days to get there, 5 days of hiking without resupply, plus a day to the next town. The only store was a cafeteria and c-store with limited hours and choice. The extra room was welcomed.
Slowly.

Compare to your pic, mine is about a third of the volume. I carry just enough for the trip. My last one was a couple weeks ago with the temperature in the low 20s at night and high in the mid 40s during the day.

I should also add that I've been doing outdoor stuff for years for I know what I'm comfortable with.